2005 Barbeito Malmsey Colheita Madeira - sweet
€ 37.85 / 50 cl
| Producer | Barbeito |
| Region | Madeira |
| Grapes | Malvasia (Malmsey) |
| Ageing | Colheita (single harvest) |
| Alcohol | 20%vol |
| Serving | 18°C, open a few hours in advance Store upright, keeps almost indefinitely once opened |
A 2005 Malmsey Colheita: fig, walnut and lively acidity.
Tasting note
A sweet, amber-tinged Madeira with sharp acidity and a long, soft, delicate finish. Well balanced, with generous aromas of fig and walnut.
The story
The sweet, early-ripening Malvasia, also called Malvazia or Malmsey, grows only in the south of the island, in low-lying vineyards at 150-200 m, right by the ocean.
Malmsey gives the sweetest style of Madeira. There are two kinds, Malvasia and Malvasia Cândida, which grows closest to the ocean and is said to come from Greece. A lovely legend tells how the Duke of Clarence chose to drown in a butt of Malmsey rather than die by the sword. Shakespeare often refers to Malmsey, and even Napoleon took some from the island. In the 19th century Malmsey became even more fashionable, with a ‘morning Malmsey’ to start the day. The sweet, early-ripening Malvasia grows only in the south, in low-lying vineyards at 150-200 m, close to the ocean.
Madeira spends years ageing in an oxidative environment and moves into a reductive one at bottling. It is therefore best to open the bottle a few hours in advance. After that, air no longer affects the wine: an open bottle keeps almost indefinitely and often tastes even better months later. Always store Madeira upright, as the acidity attacks the cork if the bottle lies down.
Food pairing
An excellent match for pastries, fruit, chocolate, pralines, hard cheeses, and ice cream, caramel and coffee desserts.
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